Reciprocal and circular saws are widely used in commercial settings and at homes for cutting various materials, such as wood, medium density fiberboard (MDF), high density Fiberboard (HDF), and composite hoard. These saws usually produce a large amount of sawdust. Cutting wood or plastic at a typical work site results in debris that is scattered over a wide area and sawdust that is released in the air. The fine dust pollutes the environment, and its inhalation may harm the health of a saw operator. Wearing personal protection equipment during sawing activities is therefore necessary to avoid respiratory damage.
While the saw operator may use protective clothing and a dust mask for personal protection, this does not resolve the problem of dust scattering around the work area. The environmental problem is of particular concern when sawing is conducted indoors, where the dust will fall on carpets, furniture, and other room furnishings. Drop cloths may be available to protect the immediate area around the saw cutting operation, however, finer dust particles may still settle a significant distance away from the work site.
Various sophisticated saw systems are available on the market that are equipped with a built-in dust extractor or vacuum dust collector. However, because of design complexity, most of these saws are expensive, electricity driven, and difficult to operate. There remains a need for an affordable yet effective, portable, and easily manageable saw system that will produce a minimum amount of dust during the sawing operation.